Krillin: Super Saiyan
by Vegetto
Summary: A minor deviation in the timeline causes Krillin to be the one to go head-to-head with Freeza on Planet Namek. How can he possibly win?


Krillin: Super Saiyan

*

It happened on an otherwise uneventful day. Goku was by the river, about to start looking for a big fish to catch and bring home to his wife and two-year-old son. A strange machine piloted by a purple-haired teenager descended from the sky. The sword-bearing pilot jumped out, looked at Goku, and then put on an expression of disappointment.

"Very sorry!" the youth said, climbing back into his strange machine. "I didn't mean to come back so far! Don't worry, you'll see me again in a few years, although it'll be like a few minutes for me. If I tell you too much now, it might change the timeline drastically. So please, just forget I was ever here!"

"Well, all right." Goku said, somewhat befuddled, but not concerned. The young man got back into his craft and disappeared. By dinnertime the unusual boy was already a hazy memory. Halfway across the world, a butterfly flapped its wings.

*

Years later...

"You all will just get in my way," Goku shouted, his voice quavering slightly with fear. "Please, go back to the ship, go back to Earth with Bulma." Gohan and Krillin could only stand slack-jawed, still rigid with terror. "Go!" Goku urged again. Krillin flinched as a bead of sweat rolled down his neck. He was terrified, terrified of his own death, but even more of the death of Goku. While Krillin had a chance of escape, Goku would surely die this day.

"Oh, you think your escape will be so easy?" growled Freeza. Then Krillin felt a sharp, unpleasant tug at his chest. It intensified into a tearing pain as he was suddenly pulled from the ground and hoisted into the air. He had little time to even register in his mind the view before he felt his body begin to tear itself apart from the inside. He screamed as he was shredded to pieces.

Witness to Freeza's gruesome display of cruelty, Goku cried out in rage and grief, so exhausted emotionally and physically not just from his skirmish with Freeza, or the death of his best friend, but also by the burden of being the last remnant of a hideous genocide, of being far from home and loved ones, of living in constant fear every day not for his own life, but for that of his son...and the growing sense finality, knowing he would die there on Namek. He felt himself wanting to give in and become an animal in his rage. But then he snapped to attention. He knew he had to get a grip. He knew blind rage would never help him defeat Freeza. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He never noticed that for one fraction of a second his hair had flashed gold.

*

The next thing Krillin was aware of was standing in an infinitely long line, surrounded by an immense field of white. "My gosh," he said aloud to no one. "Is this the other world?" The last time he had died, his spirit was forced to wander the earth in pain until he was resurrected. Such was the fate of those killed by members of the Demon Clan. But this was different. "Maybe I'll get to train with Kaio-sama like Goku," he again said to no one, having noticed that he still had the appearance he bore in life, even as he was mostly surrounded by glowing formless spirits. "If I ever get through this line. But then, since they can't wish me back, I suppose I'll have enough time..." Before he had more time to contemplate his stay in the afterlife, an ogre bureaucrat grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him towards the palace of Enma.

"You must hurry, there is no time," the paper-pusher said.

"If you say so," Krillin laughed nervously. They were soon before the great desk of Enma-dioh, judge of the dead. At his side was the fortune-telling witch, Baba. Krillin smiled genially and waved, but she remained stone-faced, so, flustered, Krillen attempted to match her seriousness. He was trying to be a good sport, despite having been painfully killed, and felt a little let down that the so-called next dimension had to stress him out all over again.

"Somehow the future has been changed, and the entire universe is in peril." Enma began, needing no introductions. "It had been foreseen that Goku would save the very fabric of existence itself from a powerful demon, but now we are seeing that he will die on Namek, as will his son, Gohan, and enemyl turned comrade, Piccolo. Bereft of its champion, Earth will then fall, and then the universe, and finally other world itself."

"No way...!" Krillin found himself muttering weakly.

"There is some hope, however, provided you are willing to cooperate." Enma leaned his gargantuan red face over his desk. Krillin could feel Enma's hot breath on his own dead face.

"Anything to save Goku, anything to save the world, even my own life!" he declared. Enma shot him a pointed look.

"I'm not in the mood for games." Krillin then looked up and noticed his own halo.

"What I meant was,"

"Porunga was to grant you one more wish, is that correct?" Enma interrupted.

"That's right." Krillen suddenly felt some hope. "But then the Namekian elder died, and Porunga disappeared!"

"Because you were entitled to this, I have petitioned the Supreme Kai to restore your life. He will be here shortly."

"My life?!" Krillen reacted with shock, but then remembering where he was, regained his composure.

"You will reappear on the planet Namek."

"With all respect, sir," Krillin began to chuckle nervously, "I don't think that will help at all!"

"Show some sense of propriety! You have been chosen over your other dead comrades for a very special reason. In fact, we were relieved that your death was to happen because it gave reality a chance!" This got Krillin's attention. He gave Enma a rapt look. "We saw your file. You are the strongest human to ever live. You have great drive and strength. Some believe you to be cowardly, but instead of running from stronger opponents, you face them if you must, even knowing that you will probably die. Fighting, even when you are afraid, is what true courage is. Strength has nearly as much to do with spirit as it does the mind, and your spirit is strong. A saiyan beaten to near-death will gain an extraordinary increase in power, not just from his physiology, but also from his fighting Saiyan spirit."

Enma took a long pause here. Krillin shifted uncomfortably and looked to Baba for some sign of comfort, but found none.

"Do you know what becomes of a soul who caused suffering, but isn't evil enough to go to hell when they die?" Enma asked.

"No, not at all."

"Although we have made some special cases, such as that for Piccolo, they are generally sent back to the living realm to be reborn. Time and space do not have the same meaning in all aspects of the afterlife. A terribly wicked man of the West might become a beetle of the North. Something jumped out at us from the record of your soul. This is not your first life, Krillin."

"Never thought I'd peg myself as an old soul!" Krillin stared at the ceiling. He wondered how this would help destroy Freeza.

"You saw what happened when Ginyu took Goku's body. The strongest have their souls and bodies completely in sync. We are going to restore to you your body from your previous life. Your previous body, combined with your current fighting spirit, will make you more powerful than you have ever been in any life. Perhaps even powerful enough to defeat Freeza."

"I don't like this, but I'll do it." Krillin said, feeling the weight of responsibility on him. "Guess I'll lose my roguish good looks." he said, grasping for some levity.

"Everyone prepare to be in the presence of the Supreme Kai!" a blue attendant of the underworld cried. Everyone snapped to attention. A purple, elf-like man in strange robes slowly entered, followed by a tall and somber red-skinned companion, who came carrying a body covered with an opaque shroud.

"Kibito has the warrior's restored body," the Supreme Kai explained. "And I will provide my life for his,"

"My goodness, am I really this important?" Krillin cried, nervous sweat flying from his brow.

"I would never give my life frivolously. But first we will place your spirit into your previous form. Are you ready? It will be quite disorienting at first."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Already Krillin had noticed whoever he'd been in another life was far taller than he was. It'd be hard to explain looking like a different person to everyone, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. The red-skinned companion of the Kai, Kibito, placed the body before Enma's desk, and removed the shroud. Krillin shrieked in disbelief.

"What?! This is a joke right, that's Goku!"

"You think we're fooling around, now when everything is at stake?!" Enma roared.

"No, look again." the Supreme Kai said, more gently than Enma. Although Krillin thought he was at first looking at his friend Goku, he saw that there were some differences. The body was scarred, was wearing armor similar to that Freeza's minions wore, and most interesting, had a tail. Perhaps this was a relative or ancestor to Goku.

"I was...a Saiyan?"

"That's right. You possess the fighting spirit of a Saiyan warrior. And now we begin!" The Supreme Kai raised his hands, and there was a flash of light. Krillin's heart lurched as he felt a similar tugging sensation as he had felt just before Freeza killed him, the feeling of being pulled sharply in a strange direction. It was as though he'd been thrown into the floor. Feeling stunned and very dizzy, he tried to blink the stars out of his eyes. He realized he was lying on the floor. He struggled to stand, but collapsed again. He had the uncomfortable sensation of having an extra limb with which he had no idea what to do. It was his tail, he realized. It twitched uselessly, its skin sending signals of pins and needles, as though it had just been asleep, like one's feet after sitting at a desk for too long.

"Your mind will need a moment to adjust to your longer limbs, but you'll soon find it a good fit. This body has always been intrinsically bound to your soul, and because of all the times you have recovered from being beaten near death, because of your incredible fighting spirit, it will be as though you had never lost this body. Your power should increase exponentially!"

"I just feel so," Krillin began. He was shocked by the sound of his voice. It had a similar timbre and resonance to before, but was deeper and...harsher. If anyone were speaking to him in the voice he himself had just used, he would find them intimidating, and yet somehow in another lifetime he had commanded that very sort of presence. "I can see images of different planets, but of course I've only been to Earth and Namek. And of...people, things, creatures, I've never met..."

"Stop," the authoritative voice of the Supreme Kai interrupted Krillin's reverie. "Don't pry into your past life. You'll be overwhelmed. Focus on what you must do now."

"Yes," Krillin got up to his feet. Already his tail felt supple and flexible. He wrapped it around his waist as a reflex. "I'll destroy Freeza! I'm craving it -- I'll make him pay for what he's done to me! I'll show him the might of my Saiyan PRIDE!" As he powered up, he gave a sinister chuckle. Even showing off, his aura caused the walls of Enma's palace to shake. Suddenly Krillen fell to his knees, trembling. "I-I can't believe I just said that. It just came out. I'd better get a grip. But I do feel more powerful now. Maybe it'll be enough. Please, please send me back to help Goku!"

"Of course." A halo suddenly appeared over the head of the Supreme Kai. Krillin looked up, brushing stiff unruly bangs from his eyes. Sure enough, his own halo was gone. And then in an instant, he found himself back on Namek.

"Ahh! Goku's energy! It's so weak now!" Immediately Krillin powered up to fly as fast as he could to where Goku was. He could hear his best friend's cries of pain before he could see the aftermath of Goku's confrontation with Freeza for himself. Freeza was throwing Goku into rock outcroppings, as he'd done with Vegeta. The battle had been won long before, the rest of his torture of Goku was mere entertainment.

"That earthling?!" Freeza screeched, sensing Krillin's approach. "Ahh-aghh....that's...a Saiyan! But I killed that Saiyan years ago! I killed that earthling moments ago...!" Freeza stammered as Krillin touched down in front of him. Goku was lying face down, prone, just a few paces away. Something about Freeza's face stirred something deep and primal within Krillin's heart. He already hated Freeza, no, that wasn't new, but there was something else, a feeling Krillin had never experienced before in this lifetime, but some holdover from the last. The feeling of needing to see someone suffer. The indignation of mortally wounded pride.

"My name..." he roared, "....is KRILLIN!" The aura of his ki exploded into a blitz of gold.

He felt angry enough to destroy the planet, but reined himself in.

"Krillin?" a voice nearly as weak as a whisper rattled behind him. Krillin gasped and ran to Goku. He pulled him into a sitting position on the ground.

"Oh Goku, I didn't mean to forget about you! Please be okay!"

"Krillin...you scared me. You look different, but I could feel it was you. But I saw you die...I must be dreaming."

"Will you be able to stand?"

"Look...you're a Super Saiyan." Goku reached for a lock of Krillin's hair. He realized it was blond. Was this what it meant to be a...Super Saiyan? The power and rage he felt, it had to be the transformation of legend. If only Vegeta were alive to feel the irony of Krillin becoming the first Super Saiyan in over a thousand years.

"Ridiculous!" Krillin heard Freeza spit behind him. And again Krillin's rage had a focus. He intensified his aura.

"Yes, oh Lord Freeza, today you will die by my hand!" Krillin could hear that behind him Goku was slowly stumbling to his feet. Freeza also noticed and threw a quick ki blast. "Kakarot, get out of the way!" Fortunately Goku reacted fast enough to avoid it.

"I'm not completely out of the fight yet," Goku smirked, breathing heavily. "Krillin, since when did you take names from Vegeta?"

"Oh goodness Goku, I'm sorry, it just slipped out!"

"Well this certainly is strange, but I think we just might beat him." Goku laughed, confused, but optimistic.

"That's what you pathetic monkeys think!" Freeza menaced, "But I can survive in space, and this planet is history!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

Hey guys, hope you like, enjoy, read, review...  
And yes, I got the idea for this because the FUNimation voice actor for Krillin and Bardock is the same guy, Sonny Strait! Mondo cool........Actually, I was sitting through the Bardock special in English with a friend and having a really hard time because I couldn't help but hear Krillin in Bardock's voice. The problem is not alleviated a great deal by the Japanese however, since Krillin and Bardock are both voiced my women, albeit different ones.  
To address some concerns, I already knew Krillin was a year older than Goku, but I threw in the line about "time and space have no meaning", or as Joe Quesada says, "It's magic, I don't have to explain it." Hahaha.


End file.
